Ever since I heard about it, I wanted to watch this American production of a Filipino horror film, with the same director (Yam Laranas) at the helm. However, when I heard it went straight to DVD instead of wide theatrical release, I knew I had to temper my expectations.

The first half of this movie moves at a literal snail's pace. There was nothing much to establish, yet it certainly took its time. Bobby Reynolds (Jesse Bradford) earns parole from his prison term and went to live in his mother's apartment, which had been abandoned since her recent death. However, he sees strange things and hears strange sounds while he is there. This entire scenario with the Mom was not in the Philippine version at all, yet so much time was spent on this side story here.

However, in the second half, the movie finally comes alive when the story about the family who lived next door to Bobby finally gets dealt with in more of its gruesome detail. These scary scenes were shot very well, with the right amount of nervous tension. Still we see the victims do what most "horror movie victims" stupidly do to deserve their fates. The ending would seem to be quite simplistic given the extensive build-up to that point. This is especially true for us who had already seen the original before.

Jesse Bradford did well to convey how a macho ex-con could be the central character of a horror film, which is not typical. He did much better than the original actor. I felt it was too bad that Iza Calzado, who was given the chance to reenact her original role in this American version, was given little opportunity to fully delve into her disturbed character of the abused wife. Some time could have been spent to describe her situation more, than the excessive time given Jesse to explore his apartment. Knowing her character more could have increased the audience's satisfaction with the story's final outcome.

Bobby Reynolds (Jesse Bradford) is released on probation from Rikers and moves to the old apartment in East Village, New York, where his lonely mother lived and passed away. He finds a job as mechanic in the Houston Auto Repair owned by the supportive Hector Rodriguez (Carlos Leon) and tries to rebuild his life. However, he is outcast and his former friends and neighbors do not want to talk to him. He meets his former girlfriend Alyssa Foldes (Amelia Warner) that works as waitress and studies in a college of design. Bobby hears weird noises and finds blood in his apartment, and overhears an argument between an abusive police officer and his wife and their daughters. Soon he discovers that the next door apartment is actually empty and he is haunted by the ghosts of the deceased family that was not helped by the neighbors.

"The Echo" is a good ghost story and apparently a remake of a horror movie from Philippines that I have not the chance to see yet. The plot is supported by a stylish cinematography and a creepy apartment building that gives a scary atmosphere. The conclusion does not explain how Bobby could justify the death of Hector in the basement of his building in the same day of his absence to the probation officer and even the bruises in Alyssa and if the curse has ended. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Ecos do Mal" ("Echoes from the Evil")

Bobby (Jesse Bradford) is out on parole for manslaughter. He is on his best behavior as he tries to get his life together. He starts to see his ex-girlfriend (Amelia Warner) on a friend basis. He has moved into the apartment that his mother lived and died in. The other tenants are not receptive to him. Bobby is haunted by dreams of his dead mother and hears strange noises no one else hears except for Joseph (Pruitt Taylor Vince) who, like the rest of the tenants, seems a bit off.

The movie finally escalates when he intervenes in a domestic issue that takes place in the adjacent apartment. The film has a haunting "Juon" quality about it. My biggest complaint is that the build-up is too slow. I got bored waiting for this film to take off. Jesse Bradford plays a rather lame Bobby.

F-bomb, No sex, or nudity. Violence to women.